Blowing machine



Nov. l1, 1941. H. .L BURT 2,262,094

BLOWING MACHINE Filed May 23, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l 11, i941. H. J. BURT 2,262,094

BLowING MACHINE Filed may` 25, y1938 l 2 sheets-sheet 2 Z375/- a mw' Patented Nov. 11, 1941 iii'rso s'rrs 'r tric' 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in an apparatus for blowing material such as mineral wool, granulated material or in general any relatively dry material which would tend to pack or jam when passed under pressure through a conduit, and refers particularly to an apparatus comprising charging and delivering means for said material of such construction as to obtain a predetermined uniform rate of discharge of the material from the delivery nozzle.

One method of insulating houses and buildings to prevent the passage of heat through the walls thereof resides in the introduction into the hollows walls of an insulating material which is usually in granulated or nodulated condition such as mineral wool or the like. To introduce the insulating material into the walls a hose or conduit is used having a discharge nozzle which is directed so as to project the insulating material into the hollow wall. The hose or conduit has heretofore been connected to a suitable source of air under pressure and the insulating material has been fedinto the stream of passing air and is thereby carried through the conduit into the walls.

It is desirable, both from the standpoint of insulation efficiency and economy, to position the insulating material uniformly within the hollow wall, it being essential that all of the hollow space be filled with the insulating material and that the insulating material be prevented from packing at localized portions within the hollow Wall. In some instances, it has been the practice to introduce by hand a quantity of insulating material into an air stream which passes at a uniform rate and under a substantially constant pressure through the above mentioned conduit. In View of the fact that the interior of the wall is not open to the inspection of the operator he can only secure the uniform density and distribution of insulating material within the wall by feeding, as uniformly as is possible, the insulating material into the air stream. At best, this procedure is uneeonomical and usually results in a wall in which the insulating material is packed to too great a density or is insuiiiciently packed.

My present invention relates to a device which removes this error of the human equation and resides in means which automatically feeds insulating material irom an available bulk supply to the air stream passing to the wall, the material being fed into the stream in a uniformly constant manner.

Another diculty encountered in insulating walls in the manner above described resides in As another feature of my invention I contemplate interposing in the discharge conduit in' termediate its length one or more expansion compartments in which the air and insulating material carried thereby may Abe uniformly mixed. At another portion of the conduit, the interior surface thereof is provided with one or a series of slightly raised spiral ribs which tend to impart a swirling motion to the air-impelled insulating material during its passage through the conduit. v

Other advantages of my invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings 4and following detailed description:

In the drawings, l

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section, of the charging mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on line 2-'2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a portion ofthe discharge conduit comprising a continuation of the conduit shown in Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the Vdrawings I indicates a base or support upon which a blowing apparatus 2 is positioned. Adjacent one end of the base I an engine 3,*usually of the internal combustion type, is secured by means of screws l or .the like. A radiator 5 is suitably connected to the water jacket of the engine 3 and a fly wheel 6 is mounted upon the engine shaft l.

Intermediate the base I a platformv 8 is provided, said platform being mountedl upon beams S which in turn are supported upon the base I. A conventional speed reducing mechanism Ill is carried upon the platform 8. A clutch II is associated with the fly wheel 6 and by means of lever I2 said clutch may cooperatively connect the engine shaft 1 to a shaft I3. A iiexible coupling I4 connects shaft I3 to the input shaft of the speed changing mechanism I0.

The speed changing mechanism I has two output shafts namely shaft I5 and shaft I6. A -5 23 which has a closed bottom 24 and side walls 25. A circular plate 26 is mounted upon the upper portion of the receptacle 23. said plate being secured to the receptacle by means of screws or the like 21. A hopper 28 having an open top 29 is mounted upon plate 26, said hopper being cylindrical adjacent its mouth as indicated at 30 and tapering conically toward plate 26 as indicated at 3|.

Output shaft I5 of the speed changing mechai.

nism I0 is connected by means of a conventiona1 clutch 32 to a vertical shaft 33, the clutch 32 being manipulated by the clutch lever 34 which acts to connect or disconnect shafts I5 and 33. formed on the inner central portion of the bottom 24, said shaft also projecting through the central portion of plate 26 and extending into the interior of the hopper 28. A bearing 36 is mounted upon plate 26, shaft 33 being journalled in said bearing. e

A conical baffle plate 31 is carried by a bracket 38 which in turn is mounted upon the upper face of plate 26, the baille plate 31 circumscribing the projected portion of shaft 33. A collar 39 is l mounted upon an intermediate portion of shaft 33 immediately above the apex of the conical bale 31, said collar carrying oppositely disposed radially extending rods 40. The rods 4D carry transversely extending picker-lingers 4I which project upwardly and downwardly on each side of the rods 40. The lower portion of the ngers 4I extend into the annular space 42 which is provided between the conical walls of the hopper and the conical baille 31. Fingers 42 are similarly mounted adjacent the ends of rod'40, the lower portion of said fingers being disposed parallel with the side walls of the hopper. A finger 43 is mounted upon the side wall of the hopper 28 and is disposed ln interdigltating relationship with the ngers 4I and 42.

In operation a bulk supply of insulating material (not shown) is charged into the open mouth of the hopper 28. Said material is initially directed by the walls 3I of the hopper and the conical baille 31 into the annular space 42. When the clutch 32 is engaged the shaft 33 rotates and the ngers 4I, 42 and 43 tend to agitate the insulating material and prevent the same from bulking or wadding. As will be hereinafter more fully described the dispersing action produced by the above mentioned fingers facilitates the automatic charging of the insulating material into the compressed air stream.

A rotor 44 is keyed to shaft 33 within the receptacle 23, the hub of the rotor resting upon a conventional thrust bearing 35. The rotor 44 carries an annular rim 46 which is provided at each of its sides with a bead 41, said beads engaging with annular grooves provided in the in- Shaft 33 projects through boss 35 ner faces of the plate 26 and bottom 24. Radially projecting fins 48 are mounted in circumferentially spaced relationship upon the outer face of rim 46. Each of said ns carries a rectangular shaped pad or plate 49 which is constructed of rubber or other relatively flexible material, said flexible plates being mounted upon the fins by means of metal face plates 50 through which bolts 5I are positioned. 'Ihe fins 49 divide the annular compartment between the walls 25, receptacle 23 and the rim 46 into a plurality of separate compartments 52. When the shaft 33 is rotated, as has been hereinbefore described, the rotor 44 being keyed to the shaft rotates therewith and ns 49 move in a circumferential direction, the outer edges of the flexible pads 49 rubbing on the inner Walls 25 as indicated at 53 in Fig. 3.

Plate 26 is provided with an arcuate shaped aperture 54 and an aperture 55 which is disposed diametrically opposite to the aperture 54. A plate 56 is pivotally connected as at 51 to the upper portion of plate 26, the plate 56 being provided With a handle 58 whereby the same may be moved about the pivot 51. The plate 56 is provided With an arcuate shaped slot 59 which embraces shaft 33 and bearing 36. When the plate 56 is moved in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, said plate acts to cover a substantial portion of the aperture 54. As the plate 56 is moved in a counterclockwise direction a greater area of the aperture 54 is exposed.

When the insulating material is charged into the hopper 28 plate 56 is preferably in aperture closing position. When clutches I I and 32 are engaged shaft 33 is rotated and hence the rotor 44 revolves therewith. By manipulating handle 58 the insulating material contained in the annular space 42 is caused to drop into the spaces 52 between the vanes 49 and consequently increments of said insulating material are delivered in a circular direction within the receptacle 23.

The outlet pipe 2| of the blower I9 is connected by means of pipes 60 and 6I to fitting 62. The fitting 62 carries a conventional pressure control mechanism 63 whereby the air pressure delivered through said fitting is prevented from exceeding a predetermined maximum. The fitting 62 is connected by means of a flexible hose connection 64 to a fitting 65 which in turn is secured by means of screws 66 to plate 26 over aperture 55. A fitting 61 is connected to the lower portion or bottom 24 of the receptacle 23, said fitting connecting into the receptacle 23 at a point immediately beneath aperture 55.

In operation the plate 56 is adjusted by means of handle 58 so as to cover a desired portion of the area of aperture 54. The engine 3 is started and clutch I I is brought into engagement thereby driving the blower I9 which in turn passes air under a predetermined superatmospheric pressure through pipe 60, 6I and 64 and into the receptacle 23, the air being discharged through said receptacle through the discharge conduit 61. The clutch 32 when brought into engagement causes rotation of the rotor 44 and insulating material carried in hopper 28 discharges into receptacle 23 through the uncovered portion of aperture 54. The vanes 49 move increments of said insulating material in a circular direction around to that portion of the receptacle 23 immediately beneath the aperture 55 whereat the insulating material is introduced into the air stream and discharged in company with the air through the discharge conduit 61.

A i'lexible hose 68 is connected to the mouth of the discharge 6l and at its opposite end carries a discharge nozzle (not shown) whereby the insulating material carried by the air is discharged to the desired location within the walls of a house or building. 'Ihe machine 2, in practice, is usually carried upon a truck or other vehicle which, during operation, may be positioned a considerable distance from the point at which the insulating material is being discharged into the house walls. This distance may be in the neighborhood of 150 or 290 feet and consequently when relatively small size conduits such as an inch and a half to two and one-half inches are used, the insulating material may jam or pack within the conduit. As has been hereinbefore -described this may result in the discharging of individual masses of relatively densely packed insulating material rather than a smooth flow of insulating material of uniform bulk density.

To assist in eliminating this undesirable condition I have found that by enlarging portions of the discharge conduit an opportunity is presented for the intermixing of the air and insulating material. Referring particularly to Fig. 4, which is a continuation of the conduit shown in Fig. 3, I interpose in the discharge conduit B8 a hollow member 69. The member 69 is provided with a neck 10 which is adapted to make connection with the conduit 68. The neck 'I0 is broadened out as at H to a relatively large diameter and the walls 12 are then tapered inwardly in conical fashion. The walls l2 are again broadened as indicated at I3 and again are tapered conically as shown at 14, the conical tapered wall 14 joining with tube 15 which in turn connects with a continuation of the flexible conduit 68.

When the air and insulating material are passed through the conduit 68 and enter the neck 10 of the member 69, the bulk of insulating material is suddenly expanded within the compartment 'I6 and is directed by means of the tapered wall 'I2 to the second compartment Tl. In expanding within the compartments I6 and 11 the air and insulating material are permitted to intermix which, during the remainder of the passage of the insulating material through the conduit 68, tends to prevent excessive compression or densification of the insulating mass. It is to be understood, of course, that the member 69 may be interposed at any desired portion of the conduit BB and the member 69 may contain any desired number of expanding compartments 16 or l1.

To further assist in the proper passage of the insulating material through the conduit I provide a spiral rib 18 within the interior of a portion of the conduit 68. The spiral rib 'I8 may comprise a spirally formed piece of metal, or be formed integral with the interior of the conduit, for instance, that section of the conduit containing the spiral may have a spiral rib moulded on the interior surface of said conduit.

When the insulating material is passed through that section of the conduit 88 which contains the spiral 'I8 the insulating material is given a swirling or riiied motion which I have Vfound assists materially in the prevention of packing of the material within the conduit. The spiral 18 may be positioned above or below member B9 or may be positioned between a pair of the members 69 which are interposed in the conduit.

The object of my entire invention is directed to the securing of a uniform flow of comminuted insulating material and as has been hereinbefore described this uniform flow is attained first by uniformly feeding the insulating material into an air stream which is passing at a uniform velocity. To prevent temporary obstruction of the insulating material the same is given a swirling motion withinthe conduit and further to prevent packing of the material the air chambers or expansion chambers are provided for permitting the insulating materialto mix with the air or become aerated. It will be seen that all of these factors are directed to the common end of securing a uniform unobstructed flow of properly aerated insulating material.

By granulated or nodulated material as used in the specification and claim is meant a material which when in relatively dry condition will jam or be densiiied when passed through a conduit by means of fluid pressure. Such material as mineral wool, that is, rock wool, glass wool, slag wool or the like, or such materials as mica pellets, expanded mica, vermiculite, sawdust, -cork granules are contemplated.

I claim as my invention:

A machine for blowing dry granulated or nodulated material such as mineral wool which comprises in combination, a hopper for holding a bulk supply of said material, the defining walls of the lower portion of said hopper being tapered inwardly and downwardly, a bafe ext-ending upwardly into the lower interior of said hopper, said baffle having upwardly and inwardly tapering walls to provide a substantially annular space dened by substantially circular converging walls, rotatable means in said annular space in the hopper for agitating the material therein to prevent said material from packing in the hopper and to maintain said bulk supply of material in the annular space in said hopper at a substantially uniform density, a receiver mounted at the base of said hopper and communicating with the lower portion of said annular space, adjustable means for controlling the passage of said material from said annular space to the receiver, a discharge from said receiver, means for passing air under pressure through a portion of said receiver and through said discharge, rotatable means mounted in said receiver for continuously delivering said material from said hopper to the receiver discharge whereby the material is carried in entrainment in the air passing through the discharge.

HENRY J. BURT. 

